1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ceiling fans. More particularly, this invention relates to aesthetic components for ceiling fans which aesthetically conceal various unsightly mechanical aspects of the ceiling fan from view. This invention also related ceiling fan hanger brackets and canopies that allow for easier mounting from ceilings and that allow the ceiling fan to be suspended from a cathedral ceiling at an acute angle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Motor driven fans suspended from the ceiling were used extensively in homes in the United States to provide air circulation before the introduction and popularization of central cooling units.
When the energy crisis dawned in the 1970s, the cost of a kilowatt hour skyrocketed in price and consumers searched for ways to reduce their heating and cooling costs. It has been well established that properly circulated air will raise the overall thermal efficiency of the home air conditioning and cooling system and hence, reduce the cost of maintaining a home at a desired comfort level year-round. Thus, ceiling fans were repopularized in the 1970's.
Indeed, ceiling fans have become so popular that competitiveness in the industry often depends upon the aesthetic features of one ceiling fan versus another. Hence, ceiling fans are usually designed with aesthetically pleasing canopies, motor housings, fan blades, and switch housings. Furthermore, a large variety of stylized light kits have been designed which may be readily connected to the ceiling fan's switch housing. Most predominantly, such light kits comprise three or four stylized bulb reflectors (for conventional incandescent bulbs), each of which may be pivoted in a different direction for spot lighting.
Unfortunately, even with the most aesthetic features incorporated within a ceiling fan, several mechanical aspects of the ceiling fan are not concealed from view by the consumer. Specifically, typical canopies are designed to conceal a conventional hanger bracket (secured to the electrical junction box in the ceiling) from which the ceiling fan is suspended by means of a down rod. The conventional design of such a canopy includes a plurality of holes formed about its upper peripheral rim. Such holes allow the canopy to be secured into position about the hanger bracket by means of machine screws which extend through the holes into corresponding threaded holes in the hanger bracket itself. Unfortunately, once installed in such a manner, the heads of the machine screws remain visible and create an unsightly appearance.
Furthermore, it is noted that more modern canopies, commonly referred to as "dual-mount" or "combo" canopies, that can be alternatively used with conventional down rods to suspend the ceiling fan from the ceiling or used as a means for directly connecting the ceiling fan to the hanger bracket to be substantially flush with the ceiling. This alternative combination is achieved by means of a plurality of holes formed in their lowermost peripheral rim of the canopy. The holes allow the canopy to be directly connected to the upper surface of the motor housing of the ceiling fan by means of machine screws so that the motor housing can be connected directly to the hanger bracket. However, in such a combo canopy, it is noted that the mounting holes present an unsightly appearance when the canopy is used for conventional down rod applications. Therefore, there presently exists a need in the ceiling fan industry for a way to conceal the machine screws and holes of such conventional canopies so that a more aesthetically pleasing appearance is presented to consumers.
As noted above, conventional hanger brackets are designed to be mechanically secured to the electrical junction box in the ceiling. The down rod of the ceiling fan is configured to fit within a socket of the hanger bracket so as to be suspended therefrom. Typically, the socket of the hanger bracket allows for some angular movement of the down rod so that the ceiling fan can be mounted to a ceiling that is slanted or otherwise non-level. Conventional hanger brackets of this type have achieved widespread use within the ceiling fan industry. Unfortunately, however, conventional canopies are limited in the degree of angular movement which is allowed via the interconnection of the socket of the hanger bracket with the ball of the down rod. For example, in homes and other structures having ceilings that slope or slant at very acute angles, such as cathedral ceilings, conventional hanger brackets and canopies do not suffice to provide a mechanism for mounting the ceiling fan to such cathedral ceilings.
In addition to the foregoing, there also exists a need within the ceiling fan industry to improve upon the design of conventional hanger brackets so that they are capable of being more easily mounted by a consumer to the electrical junction box in the ceiling. Commonly, mounting of the hanger brackets is a moderately arduous task that consumes several minutes or more of time for the consumer to securely mount it to the junction box. Easier mounting is always denied.
Apart from conventional canopies, there are other components of conventional ceiling fans that do not present an aesthetically pleasing appearance to consumers. For example, most ceiling fans include two switches with pull chains mounted in the switch housing, one for controlling the on and off operation of a light kit that may be attached to the switch housing and the other for controlling the high/medium/low/off operation of the electric motor. In both instances, the switch is mechanically secured through a hole in the wall of the switch housing and secured into position by means of an unsightly knurled nut. Further, most ceiling fans include a slide switch, called a reverse switch, for controlling the clockwise and counter-clockwise operation of the electric motor. Typically, the reverse switch is mounted through a wall of the switch housing in such a manner that the switch knob extends through a hole in the wall of the switch housing. The mounting screws as well as the switch knob present an unsightly appearance to consumers.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the ceiling fan art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a canopy screw cover for concealing the mounting screws that attach the upper peripheral rim of a canopy to a conventional hanger bracket so as to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance to consumers.
Another object of this invention is to provide a canopy hole cover that conceals the mounting holes in the lower peripheral rim of a combo canopy that would otherwise remain visible when the ceiling fan is suspended from the hanger bracket by means of a down rod.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pull chain grommet and coupler assembly for mounting a pull chain switch to the wall of a switch housing thereby presenting an aesthetically pleasing appearance to consumers.
Another object of this invention is to provide a reverse switch cover having an aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing appearance which is designed to be mounted to the wall of the switch housing about the switch knob and mounting screws of the reverse switch so as to conceal the unsightly knob and mounting screws thereof and present an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the consumer.
Another object of this invention is to provide a hanger bracket and canopy that allows mounting of the ceiling fan to a slanted ceiling at an acute angle such as a cathedral ceiling.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting bracket for ceiling fans that is mechanically configured to significantly improve the ease of mounting to the electrical junction box in the ceiling by the average consumer.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.